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MAGDALENE AND OTHER POEMS 



MAGDALENE 



and Other Poems 




By ANNIE ARRINGTON TYSON 




IHI 



Montgomery, Ala. 

The Paragon Press 

1912 



Copyright, 1912 
By Annie Arrington Tyson. 



ECI.A309480' 



^ 



To 
QJr*. ffimme (pattern fjiafee 

The woman truly great 

Nobly superb in her art 

Who has given to the world 

A sublime Magdalen. 



MAGDALENE 



The sea of Galilee shone molten gold, 

Aglow with sunset jewels wondrous, rare, 

Of topaz, em'rald, opal, garnet, pearl, 

Ere sinking down to rest in lap of Night, 

The sun kissed warm the green and distant hills; 

And crowned the lowly, noble Nazarene 

With aureole of light and bright fire gems, 

As sitting in the midst of multitudes, 

He preached to them and spake his parables. 

Twas long before his death; he taught them there 

Beside the sea, the mighty throngs that came 

To him. He taught them God, beautiful truth, 

His deep, infiinite love for all the world, 

His grace, compassion sweet and mercy full 

For erring, fallen ones gone far astray. 

And as he spake these things, the maimed and blind, 

The sick and those with unclean spirits came 

To him to make them whole and purify. 

Sad women, sore distressed and demon-cursed, 

Before him knelt, besought his mercy kind, 

And 'mong them one was Mary Magdalen, 

Of beauty rare and sylph-like grace and charm, 

Before him cringed, then prostrate fell, tight clasped 

His knees, her hair about her nimbus gold. 

She prayed, beseeching him to make her whole, 

For she was ill, aye, ill and mentally; 

Her mind did wander wild, for she was mad! 

Thus prone upon the ground she lay in tears, 

Close to the Master's feet. The multitude 

Rebuked and sought to shove her 'way from him, 

But Jesus stayed and said, "Nay, let her be," 

Then gently bending low, he laid his hand 

Soft 'pon her hair, his virtue holy, sweet, 

Forth issued from his heart and straightway healed, 

Restored her mind. Lo, Magdalen was well! 



II 

The earth quaked wide ; its great heart broke with pain ; 

The lightning ceased and stars were hid. The sun 

Shone not; the moon did veil her face, tear-stained, 

And sweet young flowers drooped, wept tears of dew. 

A pall of Had'an darkness wrapped the world ; 

And people gnashed their teeth and cried aloud 

Like mad ; they were af righted so and ran ; 

Aye, men and women fled till all were gone 

Save one, a woman prostrate at the cross. 

She wept, aye, wept for him her blessed Lord ; 

Him who was born, beneath the stars, a King; 

A King without a crown and purple robes ! 

They knew not that his kingdom was the heart, 

But him they scourged and hanged upon the cross 

To die a shameful death with thieves beside. 

The Romans nailed his hands, his feet and slashed 

His side with sword till blood did trickle slow 

And sprinkle red the ground like ruby drops ; 

And galled his lips with bitter nauseous drink, 

Then watched him die in torture, agony ; 

First martyr of his cause, the Christian faith. 

The pagans crucified, put him to death 

Because he ivas a Jew, not of their race 

And creed, prayed not to gods, false deities, 

Nay sacrificed to Jupiter and Mars; 

But taught one God for all, supreme, divine. 

They wanted not a doctrine new and strange, 

Religion full of awe and mystery; 

But scorned a change and scoffed at Christian creed, 

And clung to the old worship of the gods. 

S® Jesus died, unshaken in his faith 

In One who was then known yet unknown God. 

'Twos 'gainst the Jewish law to put to death. 

God would not let His chosen ones commit 

This thing, to crucify the sainted Christ; 

But let, aye, left it to the devil's own, 

The Roman soldiers, beastlike, truculent; 

For Pilate stayed them not, nay, raised his hand. 

The pow'r was his, for he was governor ; 

Yet being weak, afraid, he used it not. 

Lay not the crucifixion 'pon the Jews; 

Nay, blame them not, for they did not the doe 1 ! 



Base Gentiles crucified, aye, did the act 

Because he preached one God above them all, 

Supreme, divine, potent, immutable, 

And worshipped not their satyrs, nymphs and fauns. 

'Twas done by wicked men with callous souls 

Who went away with laughter in their hearts 

And gloating o'er the deed, while she alone 

Lay there in grief, her arms about the tree ; 

The Magdalene clinging to the cross ! 

Ill 

'Twas early yet; stars pale as Pleiades, 

Had scarce crept in God's wonder-heart of blue ; 

The dew bright glistered gems most beautiful; 

Dim twilight shadows, misty gray and light, 

As clouds of Proserpine's soft bridal veil, 

Went stealing 'way like sylvan sprites, for gules 

Blood-red as scarlet gems, gleamed in the east; 

A day, sweet, fresh and young was being born; 

Lo! bursting forth from fair Aurora's womb. 

'Twas Easter dawn and Beauty's heart glowed bright 

And blossomed things most sweet and wonderful. 

She came; a woman gracile as the fawn 

And fair as lily lips begemmed with dew. 

Her hair fell 'bout her richly Venus gold, 

Like some spun veil of misty purple flame. 

'Twas Mary of Magdala, scorned, reviled, 

The woman out of whom sev'n devils went. 

She came to 'noint the body of the Christ 

With costly ointment, spices precious, rare; 

To place sweet Easter lilies in the tomb ; 

And weeping stood without the sepulchre, 

Then looking 'bout, she was afrighted so, 

For lo ! the guards were fled, the stone rolled back ! 

Bare was the tomb, the linen laid aside. 

She turned to flee when voices checked her flight; 

Behold two angels, white as driven snow 

And shining as the stars, did speak to her! 

"Woman, why weepest thou? And whom seek ye?" 

"They've borne my Lord away. I know not where 

He is," and speaking thus she turned and spied 

The Christ a little way from her, yet knew 

Him not but thought he was the gardener. 



Then Jesus faced about and saith to her, "Woman, 

Why weepest thou? Whom dost thou seek?" and she 

Not knowing him, said weepingly, "0 sir, 

If thou have borne him hence, pray tell me where 

Thou hast laid him and I will take him 'way." 

Then Jesus smiled and gently, saith, "Mary." 

One sweetly silent moment fraught with joy! 

The world's heart throbbed with something new and glad ; 

The sun soft turned the trees and flowr's to gold; 

And little birds sung joyous rhapsodies. 

Ah, when he spoke her name, the woman knew; 

Beheld his face transcendent, beautiful, 

Transfigured with the holy light from God; 

Straightway she fell upon the ground and cried, 

With breaking sob, "Rabboni, Rabboni !" 

IV. 

When in her perfect mind, rejoicing glad, 
She loved him with her heart and went about 
With him among the poor and doing good 
And aiding him in noble ministry. 
Then at the crucifixion hour she came ; 
Alone grief-stricken at the cross she stood, 
And gave all that she had, her heart of tears. 
At Easter dawn, first at the sepulchre; 
The first to speak to him when newly ris'n; 
The first to give the message to the world! 
This Magdalen, this woman honored most, 
Best loved of Christ, the holy man of God. 
Magdala was all this, yea, noble, good. 
Because insane, a raving maniac, 
Her mind restored and she rejoicing, glad, 
This woman golden pure as vestal fire, 
Men said she sinned, she knew not chastity 
And branded her with false, eternal curse; 
And cast her 'mong the sinners wretched, lost, 
Degraded, scorned, unpardoned, unredeemed; 
Yea, pitilessly bruising her with stones, 
And tearing out her heart, her very soul 
With cruel gibes and most remorselessly, 
Till now her name is synonym of shame. 
They lied, gross falsified, unjustly charged! 
No record stands of her a sinner bold. 

10 



innocence white as God's edelweiss, 
Forsook by all save one, the Nazarene ! 
woman wronged, unjustly, basely wronged! 
Despised, condemned, yet famed throughout the world 
By poets mighty, painters great and small ; 
Defended not by one among them all! 
Perhaps unto the end a woman scorned, 
Unexculpated, thou Magdalen ! 
Woe unto them who grossly sinned 'gainst thee, 
Converted purest snow to crimson blood ! 
God cleanse, God vindicate before the world, 
From stain and false report, thou spotless one, 
That men may know, believe and rev'rence thee. 
Gbd bless, exonerate, God crown with love, 
OMagdalen, thee in thy chastity! 




11 



HOLY LOVE. 

The world is full of holy love, 

If we but only knew; 
It emanates from God above, 

To bless both me and you. 

The sky's great heart, so pure, so deep, 

Folds all in tender blue; 
The stars, God's eyes that never sleep, 

Shine forth for me and you. 

The winds, in accents soft and low, 

Whisper the story too; 
And tears of mercy gently flow 

In rain for me and you. 

Love sparkles in the sunbeams gold 
When Mother-Earth they woo ; 

And like a veil of shining fold 
It shelters me and you. 

God's holy love is ev'rywhere ; 

It shimmers in the dew; 
It blossoms in the roses fair 

That bloom for me and you. 



12 



THE SHATTERED LILY. 

A woman there, a fragile thing, 

Her hair so soft, like summer's gold, 

Yet 'neath her eyes a purple ring, 
Deep shadows, mark of sorrow told. 

Tight in her arms, close to her breast, 
Held she her babe, a lifeless clod ; 

Its breath gone out, gone to its rest, 
A little snow-flake sent from God. 

Her face was white and worn and grave, 

Indented lines of servitude; 
For she was now imprisoned slave ; 

White slave abused by rough and rude. 

A farmer's daughter she had been; 

Sweet Freida of the clover bloom, 
Gay nymph of woods and meadow green, 

Of blossoms bright and rare perfume. 

With little lambs and butterflies 

She'd played beside the summer streams ; 

She'd watched the glow in twilight skies, 
Soft rainbow tints and gold star gleams. 

Then came the slaver, base and bold, 
Who coaxed, enticed, decoyed, beguiled 

Her to depart her father's fold; 
This ardent, artless, trusting child. 

A father's tender love had known 
And felt the shadow of his wing; 

But now outcast, reviled, alone, 

She knew the bitter serpent's sting. 

Her soul flame-scorched, body in pain. 
Her eyes tear-wet and red and dim, 

Her life ebbed low where love was vain; 
And all because she trusted him. 



13 



He told her of the city's glare, 
Its beauty, charm and life astir; 

She knew not 'twas the devil's snare 
To ruin, barter, prison her. 

Yea, bought and sold like cattle, swine, 
And bartered to the basest men; 

This child, with breath of God divine, 
And placed in sin, the vilest den. 

White women sold! Is't Christian? No! 

And civilized? God knows 'tis not; 
'Tis barbarous, inhuman, low; 

'Tis trait of savage Hottentot. 

To sell a woman's life, her breath, 
Men barter not the lifeless clod! 

Unto the last, her very death, 

Men selleth Him, aye, barter God! 

A woman's love, a woman's soul, 

A sweet young heart unstained by tears, 
Ah, traded, sold like common toll 

To waste her youth, her tender years. 

Bright visions gone, her woman's dreams 
Of bliss and faith in manly pride; 

She was adrift in turbid streams, 
Unsought, unloved, unmade a bride. 

Go back to him, her father's heart, 

The home she loved, the things that were? 

She would not go; they were apart, 
The life once sweet, so dear to her. 

Oh, years that were and years that are, 
And years to come with nothing new ; 

No ray of hope, no glint of star, 
But only little drops of dew ! 

With tearful eyes, with fond caress, 
She laid her babe 'mong pillows white ; 

Then drank the liquid colorless, 
Beseeching love, compassion, light. 

U 



"0 God forgive and pity all! 

Condone the wrong, the dreadful sin ; 
Come close to me, lift from the fall ; 

Ope Heaven's gates and let me in!" 

The woman sighed, closed wearied eyes ; 

Then fell asleep to see the gem 
Gleam goldenly in opal skies, 

The wondrous star of Bethlehem ! 



15 



CASTLES IN THE AIR. 

At ev'ning when the sun is low 

And purple shadows creep, 
And twinkling stars of golden glow 

From out the blue do peep; 

When butterflies and humming bees 

Away to take their rest, 
And birdlings nestle in the trees 

To sleep in downy nest; 

And katydid's clear silv'ry notes 

Ring on the ev'ning air, 
And songs burst from a thousand throats 

Of insects here and there; 

'Tis then in sunset after-glow, 

I love to dream and dream 
And build my castles high up so, 

And arch with silver beam. 

And make them great and round and high 

With turret room and spire, 
Till soft they gleam against the sky 

In purple, rose, sapphire. 

And do you e'er build castles dear, 

Castles of air you know ; 
And dream o'er them with goodly cheer 

And watch them grow and grow; 

Then all at once they fade away 

And nothing left is there? 
Ah, then you say it does not pay 

To fash'n a house of air. 

And yet my dear, 'tis very sweet 

To build them up you know; 
E'en if they do, when quite complete, 

Fall in the twilight glow. 



16 



ONLY LITTLE ROSEBUDS. 

She wore a crown of flow'ring buds, 
Sweet rosebuds young and fair, 

That peeped from out the whisp'ring folds 
Of shining sea-green hair. 

They were just little rosebuds, sweet, 

So dainty, fresh and rare; 
They bloomed because they loved to bloom 

And gladden ev'rywhere. 

They were her crown of glory bright, 

Her little rosebuds pink; 
Whene'er you came along the path, 

They'd nod their heads and wink. 

You see she was a rosebush, dear, 
With buds that smiled on you, 

And nodded gentle greetings, dear, 
From out their drops of dew. 



17 



INVOCATION. 



(Lines written on the sad misfortune of Edward Alex- 
ander MacDowell, one of America's greatest composers, 
who, before his death, became a complete mental wreck.) 



thou sweet Melody! 

Fair one of strange Lethean streams, 
Return to me from out the years, 
Now numbered in eternity, 

And calm my soul, my restless dreams; 
And brush the blinding, bitter tears 
From burning eyes and aching heart. 



Come thou just once again! 

And let me hear thy golden voice 
That gave me rest in olden days; 
And sung in sweet, seductive strain. 
My heart to gladden and rejoice, 
In those delicious olden ways; 
Now hidden far among the stars. 



Dost thou remember love 

When we, alone, just thou and I 

Together dreamed sweet, poet dreams ; 
And, as I held thee close, we wove 
And f ashion'd them from out the sky ; 
And glinted them with sapphire gleams 
Then laughed and sung them all day long? 



Then soft thou stole away 

Before I knew, like some sweet breath, 
Or golden mist, or pale twilight; 
Till now my hopes, my dreams in May 
Are gone! And nought but only death 
Can bring me peace through weary night 
And free my soul from childishness ! 



18 



Return just once again! 

Just once to let me love thee dear; 
And lift me from the silence, dark, 
So strange, so sad, so fraught with pain ; 
And when I feel thy presence near, 
Then lift thy voice, so like the lark, 
And breathe soft music in my soul. 

My own beloved one, 

For God sake come and break the bars 
That crush me down like iron bands 
Thou wilt not come? When night is done 
And I have passed beyond the stars, 

Perhaps thou, then, with thine own hands, 
Will loose my soul and let me in! 



19 



LOVE. 

Tis not sweet Fancy young and gay 

Who plays her charm at will, 
And lingers but for one short day, 

Then leaves one sad and ill. 

'Tis not deep passion's wicked thrill 
That burns and scars the soul ; 

And leaves its mark of blood there still, 
E'en while the seons roll. 

'Tis that which, in maturer years, 

Binds sex to sex in one; 
As God unites His golden spheres 

To make a golden sun. 

'Tis a bright star of smiling dawn 

That shines on till the even, 
And guides one through the earthly morn 

Unto a place in heaven. 



20 



LOVE'S ADVENT. 

I know not how it came; 

only know 

That soft into my soul it crept, 

Like steps of angels, 'mid golden glare, 
Of holy stars that sparkled so; 

I scarce knew it was there. 

I know not whence it came ; 

only know 

That sweet into my heart it sighed 

Like rare perfume of roses white, 
When breezes lightly come and go, 

Unfold in dim twilight. 

I know not why it came; 

only know 

That bright into my soul it gleamed, 

Like some great star in God's own skies, 
And brighter far than Callisto; 

Ah, Love, my paradise ! 



21 



THE SILENT NIGHT. 

To 

Helen Keller. 

silent night, 
Eternal dark that soft enfolds, 

But lift thy veil 
That I may see, as she beholds, 
Heav'n's star-lit paths of holy light! 

shadowed yea* s, 
Most wondrous silence filled with dreams, 

Unearth my soul 
That I may hear, as she, God's themes 
Of sacred music of the spheres! 

Thongh in mine eyes, 
The silent night seem dark, so still; 

Yet in her soul, 
She sees the light; hears, speaks His will, 
His noble message from the skies. 



22 



TO MY EDELWEISS. 

thou white one of Alpine heights, 

Still pure from bright Creation's morn, 

Let men behold thy purity! 

Thy virgin sweetness, noble heart; 

And let them worship from afar 

Thy own dear soul so like the dawn 

Of beauty and Divinity; 

Thyself unstained as fair Astrea 

To whom the Greeks made many rites 

And whom they lov'd and honor'd so, 

When men knew not the Nazarene 

In misty years of long ago. 

Then keep thee so; let not one touch 

Of earth besmirch thy spotlessness ; 

Still ever in thy sweet, young dreams 

Lift up thy soul to Heaven's star 

Edelweiss, my Edelweiss! 

God's one soul flower of the world! 



23 



IN HER EYES. 

I gazed into her deep calm eyes 
And saw the soul-light there ; 

The holy light of distant skies, 
As fair as heav'n is fair. 

She smiled and looked into mine eyes; 

Our souls were merged in one, 
As sunbeams melt, ere daylight dies, 

At setting of the sun; 

As silver clouds, in summer skies, 
That blend, then fade away; 

Or sweet perfume that underlies 
The roses fair and gay ; 

Or pearls of dew that glisten far, 

And rainbow shadows too, 
Or moonbeams pale, or golden star 

That shine in heaven's blue ; 

So that which caught her soul and mine 
And merged the two in one, 

Was Love that knows no fetters fine, 
But has its course to run. 



24 



MY ORGAN DREAM. 

Lines written on hearing Handel's Messiah. 
I. 

Alone he sits in the old loft, 

The master silent, dumbly mute, 
Then breathlessly and faintly soft, 

Like silv'ry tones of some old flute, 
The organ sighs, breathes out its heart; 

Its thousand voices singing low. 
My soul awakes with one sweet start, 

Then list'ns; the theme at first 'tis slow; 
Then gurgles faint like little streams, 

'Mid purple shadows, seaward bent. 
Mine eye-lids close; violet dreams 

And visions come, bright heaven sent. 



II. 

In dreams I see the shadows steal 
Away like sprites of moss and wood; 

The twilight sky of dawn reveal 
Bright gules and ruby gems. Then stood 

I still while stars burn low; the day 
Bursts golden bright^ tumultuous, wild ; 

With beauty, wondrous, joyous, gay; 
For unto us is born a child 

To be our Lord, our Master, King! 
Softly I hear the Virgin's song! 

The chimes peal forth, in gladness ring. 
See near him kneel the shepherd throng. 



25 



III. 

A chord bursts forth in thundrous tone ; 

My dream has changed ; behold I see 
The babe a man and hear him groan; 

Cry to his God upon the tree! 
The dark enfolds like Had'an mist, 

And wraps the world in mystery j 
The lightning gleams zigzag; and list! 

The thunder moans in agony. 
'Tis on the mount of blood I stand 

With Magdalen and Mother saint; 
My head is bent; I grip my hand; 

I hear him sigh; I see him faint! 

IV. 

I dream again, a joyous dream; 

List! 'tis the trill of some skylark! 
I see the glow, the golden gleam 

Of Resurrection out of dark! 
From out the night, the fear, the gloom, 

Like some white lily buried deep. 
Yet lifts its head from midnight tomb ; 

So Jesus bursts the bonds of sleep ! 
I see Him there in raiment white ; 

And hear the chimes ring sweet and dim ; 
Behold His face with holy light; 

I see Magdala speak to him. 



The spell is broke; the organ sighs 

And gurgles sweet, then murmurs soft; 
The tear drops slow; the echo dies; 

The master in the organ loft 
Sits still; his hands yet 'pon the keys, 

His head bowed low and mine own, too ; 
The sweet and wondrous melodies 

Still singing in my heart to woo 
Me back into the land of dreams. 

Once more I hear the infant's wail; 
Once more I see the bright star gleams; 

Once more behold the Holy Grail! 

26 



THERE IS ANOTHER DAY. 

God gives to us another day 

To work, to win, to sing a song; 

Repent, achieve and clean away 
The stain of sin and right a wrong. 

Be not content to brood and wait, 
Condemn the world and meanly say ; 

"There is no love," and cherish hate, 
When God unveils another day. 

Another day to bless and love, 
Another day to hope and smile, 

Another day our mettle prove, 

And make a record new, worth while. 

Another day to see the sun! 

To strive to reach the goal, though far; 
Another chance a race to run, 

To look above and find a star. 

sinner turn, sinner rise! 

And sit not still in dirt and slime ; 
Beyond the past the future lies; 

Go forward with the wheels of time. 

Go forth and find and run your race, 
And do the best whate'er you can; 

Some day you'll meet God face to face 
Who'll reckon with and judge the man. 



27 



CLEMATIS. 

0, Clematis, in wedding gown 

And bridal veil of starry lace, 
That white enfolds you, hanging down 

And softly falls about your face! 

You come in summer's burst and glow 
Of beauty wondrous, gay and bright; 

When skies are blue and green things grow 
And jewelled fire-flies dance at night; 

To bring a message far and wide 
Of nuptial faith and love untold; 

Bid man and woman, groom and bride 
Wed just for love and not for gold. 

To man and woman, all and all, 
Who idle time in sweet old dreams ; 

But wait too long, then slowly fall 
Apart, forgetting bliss it seems. 

Ah, come always in summer's glow, 
Dear flower in your bridal state, 

And breathe your message swett and low, 
To lovers all and bid them mate. 



28 



GRAZIA. 

In the depths of the deep red rose, 

Where leaf 'neath leaf unfolds, 
Lies the heart that in crimson glows 
And holds, forever holds, 
In sweet embrace, 
Grazia ! 

In the gleam of a thousand eyes 

That burn most over-bold, 
In the beautiful, quiet skies, 
All blue and pink and gold, 
Is glinted fa^r, 
Grazia ! 

In the tones of the whisp'ring wind 

That murmur low to meet, 
In the song of the glad bird's find, 
In cadences so sweet, 
Is breathed with joy, 
Grazia ! 

In the gold of the sunset gleam 
That tints the whitest snow, 
In the light of a God-giv'n dream 
That bathes the soul in glow, 
Let men behold 
Grazia ! 



29 



SOMETHING DONE. 

The gold of one bright summer day, 
We trifled with and threw away; 
Like some swift shooting star 'twas gone, 
And nothing done! 

Once more the gold, the priceless gold, 
We'd like to gather up and hold; 
And do perhaps one little thing, 
And blessings bring. 



Just something once we might have done; 
A fortune made, a name have won; 
Aye, something truly noble, good; 
God meant we should. 

But youth, the gold, like rainbow gleams, 
Or sweet, rose-tinted fairy dreams, 
As cosmic stars went shim'ring by 
Across the sky. 

There's little time to do one's best, 
But ample time to do the rest; 
To sigh, to weep, get old, forget; 
Perhaps regret. 

Too late to pine for vanished years, 
In vain regrets and burning tears; 
The chance was ours ; the gold that day, 
We threw away! 



30 



MONEY. 

And who am I, Man! 
That, I, born of thy brain, fashioned by thy hand3, 
Am greater far than thou? 
It is written, "There shalt be no other gods." 
There dare not be other gods before me! 
For I am both God and the devil, 
Bringing life and death. 

By my hand, nations have risen and fallen; 
At my feet, kings bow to worship ; 
Men of sacerdotal robes, preach for my sake. 
The rich, I court, luxurize; 
The poor, despise, giving scantily; 
For very meagerness, they are grateful. 
If I build up, I tear down. 

For me, men sin, are criminals; grovel, suck the earth. 
They lie, steal, murder, haunt dens of shame; 
Take the Lord in vain; sell their own souls; 
Aye, profane most holy things. 
For me, men do their best, their worst; they die! 
My motto is Somatism, for I am Lord of the Real; 
I am love, power, religion; 
Aye, the glory of the world! 



THE YELLOW TAINT. 

Take it, break it, yea, tear it down! 

We have no more need for it now; 
And seize it men, the law, its crown ! 

No matter where, no matter how, 
And pierce it through with deadly thrust; 

Then put away and bury deep 
To moulder in the grime, the dust, 

Among the shades, in silence keep ! 

Oh, 'tis the cry of maddened throng, 

Of men who hate the noble things! 
Their love, their law, the bright coin's song 

The tone of gold, the silver rings. 
They rev'rence not the holy God; 

But loiter in the broiler's den; 
They sleep close to the Maker's sod; 

Yet they be not the Maker's men ! 

A boy sits 'pon his father's knee. 

"Pray, where is law?" inquires the son. 
The father laughs, then answers he; 

"It sleeps beside the dead, dear one. 
The things that were, and years when men 

Were gold, unsullied, honest, just, 
Now b'long to days of might have been, 

To lie forgotten in the dust!" 

A woman holds in sweet embrace 

Her babe to calm, to lull to rest; 
The babe smiles in the mother's face, 

Then falls asleep against her breast. 
Then turns she to her husband there ; 

"John, what is law?" He answers bold, 
"The law is coin, the shining glare 

Of silver bright and yellow gold." 



32 



The judge lists to the murd'rer's plea 

To open wide his dungeon's cell; 
Unshackled and at liberty, 

To 'scape the bonds of very hell. 
Then suddenly he laughs for glee; 

The judge, enfeebled, gray and old, 
Has spoke the word and he is free! 

For he has won by yellow gold! 

Ah, Circe's golden fingertip 

Has changed the Maker's men to swine! 
Baptizing them in yellow dip 

And crushing out the soul divine. 
And now alike to young and old 

There's nothing bad and nothing sweet; 
But all is lust for yellow gold 

Till men are now of grime and street! 

men of godless yellow fees ! 

Ye want no law save yellow sod. 
The freedom of the Euphrates 

When all was young and new from God 
Ye've tainted bad and yellow lined. 

Your conscience, hands and crooked feet, 
Ye want no law to fetter, bind ; 

ye who gov'rn, ye men of street! 

take, break and tear it down! 

Ye men of dross and lost ideal! 
Ye want no law ; ye want no crown ; 

Ye want the devil and the real! 
Go hide the scroll and bury deep 

To moulder in the grime, to rust ; 
To lie forgot, in silence sleep 

Among the hallowed, sacred dust! 



33 



MY SOUL AND I. 

With happy sigh, 
My soul and I 

Gazed each into the other's eyes, 
From 'cross the deep 
Where waters sweep, 

And glint the light of sapphire skies. 

Oh, sweet and low. 
As dew-drops' flow, 

Was that dear voice that called to me; 
"0 come my child, 
From out the wild 

And let us cross the Tideless Sea!" 

My eyes in tears, 
My heart in fears, 

Lest Love should bid me linger, stay; 
Because of old, 
Of wrongs untold ; 

For I had sinned and gone astray! 

Then all the tears 
And all the fears 

Were quickly brushed away it seems; 
My soul and I, 
Beyond the sky, 

Had journeyed to the Land of Dreams. 

The Land of Dreams 
Where star-light gleams, 

And rainbow tints in softness glow; 
With joy that brings, 
On silken wings, 

We sailed beyond the Ocean's Flow. 



SU 



RISE AND SET. 

Each star must set; each star must rise 
And shed its lustre in ev'ning skies; 

'Tis for a time, just for a space, 
Then shimmers out and hides its face. 

A skylark soaring far among 

The clouds, trills bright his golden song; 

Then back to earth he dumbly flies, 
Rhapsody hushed from out the skies. 

Pink Malmaison ! sweet lovely flow'r 
Unfolds its heart and lives its hour 
To beautify this world of man, 
Fulfilling God's own perfect plan. 

A blade of grass, a drop of dew, 
A jasmine flow'r, a cloud of blue, 
A silver mist, an ev'ning sky 
Must glow and fade as you and I. 



NO AZRAIL NIGHT. 

There is no end, no Azrail night; 
The perfect soul, from star to star, 
Shall flit, like butterflies of light, 
From asteroid through jewelled mist, 
Untrammelled, free and softly drift 
'Mid iris clouds, bright moon-lit kist, 
Beyond and upward, farther, far, 
To other skies where angels lift 
Brighter stars, like steps of light, 
Till star 'bove star beyond the sun 
Shall lead to God's own perfect sphere, 
Above them all the fairest one. 



86 



A PRAYER. 

Dear Father heed, list to my plea ; 
Please let me come quite close to Thee ; 
Pray let my life speak noble deeds, 
Be rich in flow'rs, not bitter weeds ; 
Perchance like some pure lily fair 
That giveth fragrance wondrous, rare ; 
Or giant tree that lifts its eyes 
To greet Aurora of the skies; 
Or better still, like some great star 
That lights the world from near and far. 



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